Damaged Roads and Freeways

Accidents happen almost every minute of the day and 3 percent of those accidents involve commercial trucks. Commercial trucks are responsible for about 5,000 deaths and 130,000 injuries per year on the roads of the country. Commercial trucks, such as 18 wheelers, flatbed, tanker, box or straight, cement mixer, or many other type trucks used for vehicles for commercial purposes, are the largest vehicles on the roads. Most commercial long distance trucks are almost 40 times heavier than passenger cars, with the potential to cause many problems in congested areas. Commercial trucks canrollover, lose their load, or become jackknifed, trapping other vehicles underneath the truck or against roadway barriers. Commercial trucks can get involved in serious accidents because of defective, hazardous, and dangerous roads or highways.

Call us toll free at: 800 - 773 - 6770. One of the truck accident attorneys at Gordon & Elias, L.L.P will answer your questions and discuss your legal options.

Causes

The causes of defective, hazardous, and dangerous roads or highway accidents are varied resulting from one or more of the following:

• Bad Roads - This may include the design of the road, friction or lack there of on the surface of the road, width of the lanes, angle or banking of curves, and the wear and tear of the road itself.
• Lighting- Inadequate lighting or lack of lighting on roadways can make it difficult for drivers to adequately see objects and / or people on the road.
• Weather- Severe weather conditions cause a variety of different safety risks including slippery and icy roads, patches of black ice, low visibility due to heavy rain, and / or fog, or erratic steering due to high, gusty winds.
• Signals and Signs- Signals and signs must be in plain view for drivers. When signals or signs are broken, covered with unkempt foliage or graffiti, drivers are missing essential information that could cause serious accidents.
• Pavement- Potholes are a major problem on federal, state, and local municipality roads due to cut back in funding for repairs or poor management. Large and small potholes are dangerous for all drivers.
• Road construction- When debris from road construction, blown out tires, and severe weather is strewn on the roads, accidents are just waiting to happen. In an attempt to avoid the debris, a driver may serve his / her vehicles and end up hitting other vehicles.
• Improperly Installed Rails- Rails are suppose to protect errant drivers from dangerous hazards such as steep slopes, drop offs, and other roadside hazards. If the rails are not maintained or improperly installed, what was supposed to protect errant drivers could cause them serious harm.

Liability

It is difficult to determine liability in truck accidents such as these because it truly might not be the fault of the truck driver, but instead the state’s department of transportation for not fixing roadway problems in a timely manner. It is the responsibility of the plaintiff’s attorney to prove liability on the part of the state’s department of transportation. It should also be understood that drivers of all vehicles have to control their vehicle to some extent during a problem on the roadway. Therefor, the driver of a commercial truck could also be held liable in this type of accident resulting from defective, hazardous, or dangerous roads.

Injuries and Compensation

Victims of accident resulting from defective, hazardous, or dangerous road accidents can suffer from trauma, emotionalstress, broken bones, burns, lacerations, fractures, severed limbs, concussions, comas and other debilitating injuries- even death. The victims of this accident can receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of wages, repair costs, medical bills, hospital bills, punitive damages, funeral costs, court fees, and legal fees.

Legal Help

If you or a loved one has been injured in this type of accident,contact an attorney at Gordon & Elias, L.L.P. immediately for expert legal advice regarding your case. Our attorneys will perform an investigation into what caused the accident, how the accident occurred, and which parties should be deemed liable in thelawsuit. We will vigorously litigate your truck accident case to make sure you receive the compensation you and your family deserve.

Call us toll free at: 800 - 773 - 6770 . One of our truck accident attorneys will answer all your questions.